One of the biggest changes as winter comes to an end is the rising temperature and the increasing body heat that follows. The transition from winter to spring and spring to summer is one of the most interesting and important one. Spring is said to be the season in which Kapha dosha dominates in our body. As the accumulated snow begins to melt with the rising heat, the accumulated Ama (undigested food) in the body also begins to slowly liquefy. The increased Kapha too that melts, clogs the ‘Srotas’ (micro circulatory channels) in the body. This leads to a lot of Ama-related diseases which are a result of diminished Jatharagni (digestive fire).

Winter is the healthiest season of the year owing to the favorable weather conditions. The cold usually keeps the Pitta dosha in control thus preventing Pitta-related disorders. The Kapha dosha begins to accumulate in the body with the increasing cold without causing too many problems. The aggravated Vata however, causes Vataja Vikara like Joint and Muscular pain, Dry Skin and Arthritis. As spring arrives, all the winter-related disorders come under control and the diseases caused by liquefying Kapha take over. The most common spring problems are allergies, rhinitis, sinusitis, indigestion, asthma, cold and cough.

Spring Allergies

Annually, millions of people fall prey to seasonal allergies or seasonal allergic rhinitis which is most common with the onset of spring. People cannot enjoy spring due to constant sneezing and sniffling. Fortunately, Ayurvedic scriptures already have a mention of the solution to all such problems. It is brilliant, how carefully this science was designed ages back bringing forth the most intricate details that hold relevance even in today’s age.

As per Ayurveda, the duration from mid March to mid May constitutes the Vasant Ritu or Spring season. The body’s natural tendency is to flush out the toxins by liquefying the Kapha. Hence, we must assist in helping the body get rid of the toxins by taking measures that can keep us healthy and happy for a long time. When spring sets in, Ayurveda advises certain lifestyle modifications that can keep the seasonal ailments in check.

1. Honey should become an integral part of our daily routine. It should be consumed early in the morning on an empty stomach as it helps in controlling Kapha dosha.

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2. Kick start your mornings by performing Jalaneti with moderately warm, saline water. This clears the nasal passages and sinuses and further prevents accumulation of mucus.

3. Oil massage followed by Udvartan (dry powder massage) with Chandan, Aguru ensures protection of the skin from Kapha-related skin disorders. It also improves the immunity by strengthening the body.

4. Asava, Arishta (Ayurvedic self-generating alcoholic preparations), Sidhu, Mardvik should be consumed on a daily basis in moderate quantity. It’s best to consume them during the Kapha time which is from 6 am to 10 am. People who have a hot constitution should consume them in limits and with caution.

5. Grains that have been stored for a long period of time should be consumed. The older they get, the richer and lighter they are to digest. Intake of Jowar (Hordeum vulgare) and Barley also has been proved to improve immunity.

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6. Moderate to heavy exercise is advisable for those with good strength. Exercise helps the body to get rid of excess Kapha dosha and it also eliminates toxins from the skin through sweat.

7. Sipping on warm water occasionally throughout the day is highly recommended as this helps the body digest excess Ama and Kapha.

8. Day sleep is strictly contraindicated as this could lead to an increased Kapha dosha, thus leading to further aggravation of Kapha.

9. Vasant ritu is the season for periodic body cleansing as the body’s natural tendency is to do so. Ayurveda recommends body cleansing during Vasant in the form of Vaman (Emesis) or induced vomiting under expert supervision to eliminate body toxins. The other procedures to be performed are Dhumapana (Herbal Smoking), Gandusha (Oil Pulling) and Nasya (Nasal oil therapy), all under an Ayurvedic practitioner’s guidance.

10. Generous use of spices like dry and fresh ginger, turmeric, garlic, onions that can help digest Ama should be made.

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With some wise modifications in diet and lifestyle, everyone can dream of living a disease-free spring.

Ayurvedafinder wishes all its readers a “Happy Spring”!

About The Author

Vishakha is an Ayurvedic practitioner, yoga counselor and a passionate traveler. She lays emphasis on living a healthy life by nourishing the body and mind with wholesome and natural food, meditation and yogic techniques. An Indian at heart, she aims at propagating the goodness of the Indian culture across the seven seas and stimulating thoughts by creating a hunger for knowledge.

“The only species that becomes nutritionally deficient is the human species. And we do so because we’ve completely lost touch with the inner wisdom of our bodies.”

Ayurveda has this wonderful way of explaining how we as human beings are unique from every other human being on the planet. This applies to the Prakruti (body constitution), the mental makeup and the eating habits. Eating does not mean feeding your body to sustain it; eating is an art and one must master it. How often do we carefully pick what we eat and concentrate on how our body assimilates it? Hardly ever! And that’s exactly where our problems begin.

Intelligent food is that which is full of “Prana”(life), energy and strength. It has the power to influence your consciousness and thoughts. At the same time, food brings anger, happiness and contentment depending on the way it is cooked and on the vibrations of the person who cooks it. The quality of food literally affects your mind, body and your thoughts. When you are aware of the qualities of foods you eat, you are being a conscious and a wise eater. But with all the chaos going on in our heads, we miss out on these simple pleasures of life.

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How to be a Wise Eater?

1. Love the regional food- Food is life, it is the source of energy and it is an entity that has been wisely created by nature. Foods that are whole, unadulterated and that grow in your own region have the highest nutritive value and are intelligent in nature. Traditionally, Indians used to eat a fair amount of Bajra (Pearl Millet), Jowar (Sorghum) and Ragi (Finger Millet). These foods were packed with health, antioxidants and nutrition. We need to revive our love for traditional foods which is the only way we can save our future generations from hoards of allergies, nutrition deficiencies and other health problems.

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2. Include all six tastes in your meal- When your body craves unhealthy food, it’s because your body isn’t getting its dose of all the six tastes namely- Sweet, Sour, Salty, Pungent, Bitter and Astringent. So it’s important that we include foods that fall under each category. Also, you should always begin your meal with something sweet and then eat the other foods one-by- one in the above mentioned order.

3. Minimize restaurant eating- No matter how much a restaurant claims to use safe ingredients and healthy cooking measures, restaurant food can be far from safe and healthy. Most of the time, we are unaware of the source of the ingredients esp. when the foods are animal-based. The kind of cooking oils used, the nature of the ingredients whether they are freshly bought or have been stored in the freezer for a long time is unknown to us. It’s always a better option to eat freshly cooked home food.

4. Avoid stale foods- Foods that are cooked in the morning can be eaten at night but foods that have been cooked at night shouldn’t be eaten in the morning since they turn stale due to night’s tamasik Also, the nutrients in the food die out. Stale food increases acid secretion that in turn worsens diseases like hyperacidity, digestive disorders and other ama-related disorders.

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5. Eat the five main Sattvik foods in their natural, organic form when possible- Milk, Ghee, Honey, Fruit, Almonds. Milk is revered in Ayurvedic philosophy as a complete food.

6. Avoid eating canned and frozen foods- Every living food is full of Prana when it’s fresh. Food that has been frozen or preserved is devoid of prana. How much prana is present in a particular food is dependent on the length of time it has been frozen. As a rule of thumb, if your food hasn’t seen sunlight in a while, it’s best to reduce your consumption of that food or eliminate it from your diet altogether.

So many of us complain about our lack of energy, increased sluggishness and exhaustion; this is where the energy actually starts to manifest. Feed your body and mind with natural, prana-rich foods that have the power to entirely change the way you think and look at your body. Not only that, start maintaining a routine and sticking to it whole-heartedly. Eating is a sacred act of filling your body with good energy and life. The love, joy and happiness you feel while cooking it will bring the energy back into your life.

So vow to start eating your way to a healthy body and a sound mind!

Vishakha is an Ayurvedic practitioner, yoga counselor and a passionate traveler. She lays emphasis on living a healthy life by nourishing the body and mind with wholesome and natural food, meditation and yogic techniques. An Indian at heart, she aims at propagating the goodness of the Indian culture across the seven seas and stimulating thoughts by creating a hunger for knowledge.

Deepawali (festival of lights), the biggest and brightest of all the Hindu festivals is almost around the corner in India. Indians all over the world heartily celebrate the festival of lights and the celebrations know no bounds.

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Historically, the origin of Diwali, traces back to ancient India, when it was an important harvest festival. All Indian festivals possess high significance with respect to nature’s effects on the body during the specific seasons. Diwali comes in the fall season, when the weather is slowly changing. The days are sunny, yet pleasantly cool and comfortable and nights are slightly chilly, clear and cloudless. The weather is mild, pleasant and refreshing. According to Ayurveda, it is a season in which Vata is slowly taking over the Pitta dosha in nature and so similar changes are seen in the body composition, thus leading to aggravation of Vata dosha and disturbance in the Pitta dosha. The traditions of Diwali focus on pacifying the disturbed Pitta and controlling Vata with various Ayurvedic rituals.

The rituals and their importance:

1. Waking up during Brahma muhurta .

It is the pre-dawn period when the “ Sattva “ (pure, positive energy) is high in nature. Vata governs the hours between 2 am and 6 am. This aids in naturally and easily eliminating the wastes out of the body. Due to the increasingly stressful lifestyle, it is hard to wake up during the early morning hours on a regular basis. It is at least recommended to be awake on Brahma muhurta during the three days of Diwali.

2. Practice of Pranayam

Practicing pranayam during the early morning hours on the day of Diwali ensures a sound mind and body. The negative frequencies are high in the atmosphere along with the presence of Divine frequencies too. Meditating during times of distress helps the body absorb the positive energy, thus driving out the negativity.

3. Abhyanga (Massage Oil)

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The benefits of an Ayurvedic oil massage aren’t unknown to us. An abhyanga leads to an increase in Sattva guna and decrease in Raja and Tama. The effects usually stay for 4-5 hours. During the days of Diwali, an abhyanga snan reaps 6% more benefits than on other days.

The best Ayurvedic oils that could be used for abhyanga are oils that have been prepared using fragrant Ayurvedic herbs like chandan, ushira, nagarmotha, bala etc.

The fragrant oils have the ability to attract divine frequencies flowing in the atmosphere, thus by massaging, the Divine Principle is attracted in the body and due to the Energy frequencies in the oil the distressing frequencies are obstructed. The other benefits include pacification of Vata dosha, reduction in dryness and stiffness, boost in the functioning of the nervous system and considerable improvement in sleep patterns. The fragrance also helps in balancing Pitta dosha which is in an aggravated form due to the seasonal changes.

4. Udvartanam (Rubbing Fragrant Powders)

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The practice of rubbing fragrant medicinal powders after an oil massage is called “Udvartan”. Not only is it a part of Ayurvedic daily regimen (Dinacharya), it has been an important ritual during the festival of Diwali. The powder massage is done in the direction opposite to that of the body hair i.e. upward direction.

Vagbhata describes the benefits of this powder massage beautifully in a verse.

Udvartan helps in reducing excess Kapha dosha (thus helping in weight loss) and liquefies and mobilizes morbid fat / adipose tissue. It provides stability to the body and rejuvenates the skin, helps the skin get rid of dead cells and restores youth by inducing freshness.

The ubatan is raja-dominant and associated with the absolute Fire element. It thus bestows the body with good energy, apart from curbing other skin-related problems.

5. Snan (Hot Water Bath)

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The best act among all the Diwali rituals is when fragrant warm water (treated with rose petals and natural perfumes) is poured over the body after the abhyanga and udvartan. This warm water bath washes away the excess oil but preserves the essential oils present in the skin, thus keeping the skin moisturized. It restores the glow, revitalizes the skin and cleanses the pores of the skin. A warm water bath post-massage also alleviates body pain and strain of any kind, improves blood circulation and relieves body stiffness.

6. Diwali Faraal (Sweets)

Diwali sweets and snacks are based on Ayurvedic principles too. If one of the ingredients in the sweets is dry in nature, there’s other that counters the effects of the dry ingredients. The sweets and snacks help us in controlling the dryness of the body which is caused by the changing weather. This diet and daily routine isn’t just meant for Diwali days, it is supposed to be followed throughout fall and winter season to stay healthy and balanced.

Ayurveda strongly believes that health cannot be gained without spiritual well-being. Thus, most of the Indian festivals are designed such that all the aspects are taken care of leading to mental, physical and spiritual well-being. With the changing lifestyles, most of these intelligently crafted rituals have been long-forgotten. It’s time we looked back to carefully preserve the traditional wealth passed down to us by our ancestors.

„May light triumph over darkness,

May peace transcend the Earth,

May Ayurveda regain its lost glory,

May the spirit of light illuminate the world. „

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AyurvedaFinder WISHES EVERYONE A JOYOUS AND A DAZZLING DIWALI!

Shubh Deepawali !!

About the Author

Vishakha is an Ayurvedic practitioner, yoga counselor and a passionate traveler. She lays emphasis on living a healthy life by nourishing the body and mind with wholesome and natural food, meditation and yogic techniques. An Indian at heart, she aims at propagating the goodness of the Indian culture across the seven seas and stimulating thoughts by creating a hunger for knowledge.

“ Beauty is how you feel inside, and it reflects in your eyes. It is not something physical.”

Although all these quotes on beauty hold true, one cannot deny the fact that beauty, even now and since times immortal, has been assessed on the basis of the flawlessness of the skin, the glow on the face, and the twinkle in the eye.

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The secrets to a well-nourished body, a stable mind and a peaceful spirit lie hidden in the scriptures of the 5,000-year old holistic healing system of India, Ayurveda. To look beautiful one does not necessarily have to follow a complex beauty and diet regimen. Beauty simply begins with common sense. It can be as simple as eating at the right time, in the right quantity, sleeping well and managing stress wisely.

Our body is constantly undergoing transformation. These transformations are so subtle; it is hard to believe we are a completely different individual almost every seven years. The outer layer of the skin consists of dead cells which are constantly shedding. Same applies to our hair and nails. So what we see on the outside is actually a result of the body’s inner transformation on a fundamental level. Ayurvedic beauty is more than skin deep; it is a fundamental reflection of the state of our mind and body — the balance between mind, body and spirit.

The Three Secrets: The Ultimate Goals

Ayurveda unveils three secrets to a beautiful body and mind: Roopam, Gunam and Vayastyag.

Roopam refers to the outer beauty. It lies in the skin by the name Bhrajak Pitta.Bhrajak means “to shine”, and this can be observed in healthy people with a beautiful outer radiance. When the BhrajakPitta in the skin is in its healthy state, there’s no way it won’t reflect on the person’s face.

Gunam or inner beauty are the characteristics that make an individual kind, giving, patient and happy, can be observed in saints and masters practicing compassion, bhakti (devotion) and prem (love). It is hard to not be smitten by the inner light or beauty which radiates around people who are compassionate, giving, loving and kind.

Vayastyag refers to lasting beauty. As we grow, we ought to give up on certain practices and adopt new ones. In Ayurveda this is done through diet, routine, proper and timely use of herbal formulations and the regular experience of transcendence, which connects one to the non-changing level of existence. This kind of beauty and radiance can be observed in healthy, older people, young beyond their age and still getting better with it.

What maintains these three is a proper transformation which depends on our food, our activity, our consciousness, our digestion and our thoughts.

Each morning across India, people offer prayers to the radiant, resplendent and glorious Shri Surya Bhagwaan. The epitome of energy and radiance, Lord Sun is the remover of negative thoughts and anger from the minds of the worshipper, both of which hamper the inner and outer beauty. Indians have been effortlessly practicing sun-worshipping for centuries. The first ray of sun inspires for early success daily. Worshipping sun everyday and especially on Sundays by chanting mantra leads to all pleasures, good health and wealth in life.

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Surya Pooja (Sun Worship)

Wear clean clothes after the morning shower. Fill fresh water in a copper container. Add Ashtagandha (Paste of Chandan and other fragrant herbs), red flowers and Akshat (raw unbroken rice) in the water and chant this mantra.

|| ऊँ सूर्याय नम: ||

While chanting the mantra, offer the holy water to the sun.

The practice of performing Suryanamaskar (Sun-Salutations) too, has been an integral part of the daily regimen of Indians. The radiance of the sun is absorbed by the body through the skin, thereby resulting in a glowing skin and a clear complexion. This practice also enables the skin to eliminate toxins through sweat thus preventing boils and pimples. We haven’t even begun talking about the other physical benefits of this practice like improved digestion, effective reduction of tummy fat and better kidney and lung functions.

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Amongst the factors that make up a beautiful mind and body, discipline is a powerful beauty ingredient. Ayurveda has a very intelligent approach to cultivating beauteous habits. It asks you to weave little acts of discipline in the routines of life. If you spend 15 minutes of your pre-bath time giving yourself a warm oil massage, you are doing a huge favor on yourself. A whole body oil massage tightens the skin and strengthens the muscles, both in turn, leading to a youthful you! When you spend 5 minutes of your pre-bed time splashing cold water or a decoction of Triphala over your weary eyes, you are helping them wash away cloudy vision and burning, thus relaxing the under-eye muscles.

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For centuries, Indian women have kept their tresses healthy with natural oils, herbs, flowers and simple spices. Not only do these oils promote thick, healthy and lustrous hair, they also ward off cold, flu and headache, keeping you cool in hot weather and relaxing your mind by having a calming effect on it. Our face, they say is the mirror of our digestive system and the mind. The skin keeps us in constant connection with the textures and energies of our world, so it’s no wonder our faces reveal so much about our mental, emotional and physical status. Giving your face a herbal facial that could be prepared from fruits, herbal powders and milk or yoghurt; all based on your Prakruti will help you have a glowing, youthful skin.

Ayurveda also stresses on the importance of diet and adequate sleep because these factors are responsible for building and repair of the cells and tissues of the body. Eating for the spirit and spending time on the preparation of your food is essentially important. Consuming a diet rich in all the six tastes, tempered with spices, homemade ghee (clarified butter) and diet that includes whole fruits, grains and vegetables according to one’s Prakruti, is the key to a sound health. Regarding sleep, “Early to bed and early to rise” isn’t an overstatement and by that we mean, getting our much-needed sleep at the right time during the night. Making up for the lost night sleep by sleeping during the day can be less than healthy, not to mention other problems that come along, like weight gain, indigestion and decreased alertness. Sleep time is the only time when the body has an opportunity to repair, heal and rejuvenate itself and is thus very essential for both inner and outer beauty.

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It is also equally essential for the mind to rest from time-to-time. This can be achieved by filtering the noise out of your life. Once in a while, each one of us deserves to be alone, away from the noise. Just for a couple of hours during the day and at bed time, see nothing, hear nothing and do nothing. Stay away from cell phones, television sets and other electronic gadgets, even books for that matter. Meditate to enhance the inner peace because every act that you do to achieve inner peace in turn contributes to your goal of looking and feeling truly beautiful!

While diet and sleep are cornerstones, other factors like stress management hold equal importance. Practice meditation, listen to uplifting music more often and do anything and everything that balances your mind by uplifting the emotions. Have a positive attitude, serenity, purity of thought, word and action. Cut down the “I” (ego), get rid of the anger, jealousy and negative emotions. Ayurveda also recommends you to seek company of people who are jolly, happy and young at heart. Stop talking about those lines you’re seeing on your face because all this will make you feel older.

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In today’s world where there’s no dearth of men and women spending loads of money on enhancing their features by going under the knife and applying layers of cosmetics on the face; be a natural! Be the naturally gorgeous, radiant and beautiful you! Let the radiance arise from a dynamic relationship between the inner and outer divine. Go beyond the color of the skin or the height of the cheekbones and find beauty in everyone around you.

Ayurvedafinder says “BE YOUR OWN KIND OF BEAUTIFUL WITH AYURVEDA”!

About the author

Vishakha is an Ayurveda practitioner, Yoga counselor and a passionate traveler​. She lays emphasis on living a healthy life by nourishing the body and mind with wholesome and natural food, meditation and yogic techniques. An Indian at heart, she aims at propagating the goodness of the Indian culture across the seven seas and stimulating thoughts by creating a hunger for knowledge.